MORE BUTTER! The New Zealand vs. Irish Butter question came up last night at a family gathering at my house. So we got out the Irish butter and the New Zealand butter, put some of each on pieces of fresh bread, and did a comparison. Most people preferred the New Zealand butter slightly, though my brother — who likes his butter salty — liked the saltier Irish. (He also said it reminded him of Nigeria, as the very same brand is on sale there.)

Your results may vary. Numerous readers also sent me links to places where I could buy fresh, handmade butter that would be even better. I’m sure that’s true, and I think it’s probably a good reason for me not to buy any. Notwithstanding Nina Planck’s recommendations, I’m pretty sure that more butter isn’t what my diet needs.

That said, I’ve noticed that adding a very small amount of butter — say, a tablespoon — to a nonstick pan when cooking fish makes the fish a lot better. if that keeps you from eating something else that’s more fattening (which would be most things) it’s probably a good investment.